One of the plants I spotted blooming on my recent walk was a little white spring flower with grass-like leaves. I could tell as soon as I saw it that it was in the lily family, that it wasn’t Star of Bethlehem (a common invasive) and beyond that? I had to go look it up. … Read More Crow Poison
This pretty flower is one of those examples of ‘can’t leave well enough alone,’ as you will find it variously listed as Acacia angustissima, or Acaciella angustissima. At least they’ve agreed on the narrow leaves! Which some of the common names agree on, as well, since it’s sometimes called Fern Acacia, also Prairie Acacia. That… Read More Acaciella
A solitary bee on Zizia aurea, commonly known as Golden Alexanders. Photographed May 10 2020 in Montgomery County, Ohio. Many native pollinators, like this busy fellow, are solitary bees. Unlike the eusocial honeybee with it’s vast hive of individuals that work together in complex social patterns, solitary bees are all on their own. However,… Read More Bee on Golden Alexanders
One of my regrets is that I rarely have the time to sit down and read through my field guides to insects and flowers any more. Once, that was how I kept track of everything I saw outside, naming and knowing what it did, was it edible? The irony is that now, when I have… Read More A Goldenrod Soldier